Three-nation tour brightens Bangladesh’s image abroad: PM

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DHAKA, May 2, 2018 (BSS) – Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today described her
recent three-nation visits as very important, saying it brightened further
Bangladesh’s image in international arena.

“My visits to Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom and Australia took place
within a short time and all of them are very important . . . it’s my firm
belief that Bangladesh’s image has been brightened further in the
international forum through it,” she told a crowded press conference at
Ganabhaban here this afternoon.

The premier said the first leg of the tri-nation tour took her to
Saudi Arabia’s Dammam on April 15 at Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al
Saud’s invitation to the concluding ceremony of a joint grand military
exercise named “Gulf Shield-1”.

“I also exchanged greetings with the Saudi King and other heads of state
and government,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said her six-day UK visit to join the Commonwealth Heads of
Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2018 was of high importance from the perspective
of member countries and particularly Britain against the backdrop of BREXIT.

The CHOGM-2018, she said, gave importance on four issues — a fairer
future; a more sustainable future; a more prosperous future and a more secure
future while the agenda involved issues like democracy, human rights and rule
of law.

The premier said in various sessions of the 53-nation Commonwealth’s summit
she campaigned for technology transfer to combat climate change phenomenon
alongside supports highlighting the priority issues of adaptation, financing
and tolerance and capacity development.

Sheikh Hasina said she also tried to draw attention particularly of leaders of
the developed nations to the liability of climate change, fair compensation for
the affected countries and the migration to be triggered by the adverse impact
of the phenomenon.

The premier said in the executive session of the summit, she proposed
reorientation and reorganisation of various Commonwealth bodies to
effectively meet constantly evolving needs and expectations of the member
states alongside Commonwealth Secretariat’s reform to achieve the goals
identified in the CHOGM-2018.

Sheikh Hasina said she told the summit that Bangladesh was determined to be
transformed as a “blue champion” by implementing Commonwealth Blue Charter
adopted at the CHOGM-2018.

The prime minister said, the Rohingya crisis drew an extra attention in the
summit this year while the summit leader’s statement saw inclusion of two
paragraphs on the issue.

She said, the summit called for a halt to all violence, restoration of
normality and accountability of the perpetrators for gross violations of
human rights in Myanmar’s northern Rakhaine state through an independent
investigation.

The heads of the government in the summit, she said, also stressed actions
to address the root causes of the current crisis and immediate implementation
of the Koffi Annan Commission recommendations.

The premier described the Commonwealth response to the issue as a success
of her government’s diplomacy in the international arena.

On the sidelines of the CHOGM, the prime minister said, she also held
bilateral meeting with her Indian counterpart Narendra Modi and exchanged
views with a number of heads of the government including her British and
Canadian counterparts.

She said the leaders during these sideline meetings as well highly praised
Bangladesh’s role in facing the Rohingya crisis with patience and assured her
of extending strong support to this end.

Sheikh Hasina said Australian Premier Malcom Turnbull’s invitation took her
there to join the Global Summit of Women 2018 when she was conferred with the
prestigious Global Women’s Leadership Award-2018 for her leadership in
expansion of women education and creating women entrepreneurship in
Bangladesh and Asia-Pacific region.

She said US-based Global Summit of Women President Irene Natividad handed
her over the award in the presence of nearly 1000 global women leaders when
Natividad appreciated her also for her success in expanding digital
technology and sheltering the persecuted Rohingyas in Bangladesh.

Natividad, the premier said, also mentioned that Bangladesh set up a unique
example of humanitarian leadership by sheltering 11 lakh forcibly displaced
Rohingya people which the global leaders could follow.

Sheikh Hasina said at the function she called for mobilising a new global
alliance to promote women rights and empowerment dedicating her award to the
entire womenfolk of the world while placing a four-point proposal for
realizing their rights throughout the globe.

The prime minister said she held a meeting with Australian counterpart
Malcom Turnbull at his residence on Saturday, visited Western Sydney
University and joined a community event at Sofitel Hotel in Sydney.

The premier said her Australian counterpart Malcom Turnbull also
high appreciated Bangladesh’s role in sheltering the Rohingyas saying it
brightened the country’s image abroad as she held a bilateral meeting with
him at his residence.

The prime minister said the common stance of the two countries has deepened
the bilateral relations and her visit to Australia has taken this ties to a
new height.